FAQs

We do monitor overseas TV and radio broadcasts, as well as chart information. However if you know your music has been used overseas, you should email us at [email protected] so we can contact the society and make sure you’re paid.

Provided there are functioning societies in the countries you've toured, once you have submitted your Performance Report, we'll submit your claim to our international affiliated societies. Depending on their distribution policies, certain performances may be payable and others won't be payable.

Once the society has verified the performances, any relevant payments will be made in their next available distribution back to us. Payment timeframes can vary, depending on how frequently the society distributes.

Submit your Overseas Performance Reports via the app or Writer Portal.

Read more about submitting Overseas Performance Reports.

Cable stations are often paid at a lower rate than free-to-air television. The royalty paid will depend on whether the international society has a lience agreement with the specific cable station, and whether they collect music use data from those stations.

If you know your music in a TV program has been broadcast internationally, please email us at [email protected]. We'll make an enquiry to the relevant societies on your behalf.

There is always a time lag between performances overseas and payments for those performances reaching us. The timing depends on how often the society makes their distributions. In some cases this can be up to two years after the performance took place. Societies are obliged to account to us within 90 days of paying their own members. We make “mini” distributions to writer members for overseas royalties each month. Please contact us for more information.

This may be because the international society has different information in their database about that work. Eg: you may have a work registered 100% to you as the composer/author, but your royalty statement might list your share in overseas earnings as 50%. It's important that you advise us if you've signed any publishing agreements, or if there are any other co-writers we are unaware of. If you think you've been underpaid, please contact us.

Works protected under Australian and New Zealand copyright will be protected in most countries of the world – ie those that are members of the International Copyright Conventions and the World Trade Organisation. APRA AMCOS has entered into reciprocal agreements with collecting societies in most of these countries around the world. This ensures that your copyright is protected and royalties are paid on your performances and recordings, according to the distribution rules and practices of each international affiliated society.

Each affiliated society has different practices regarding the identification and collection of performance data and the distribution of royalties. Some societies pay us once a year, some twice and some every quarter. If a payment took place at the beginning of the year in a territory that pays once a year, it may be up to two years before we receive the payment, verify its accuracy and forward it on to our member.

When we receive payments for your works from foreign territories, the distributions are processed as quickly as possible to ensure you receive payment promptly.

Yes. AMCOS is affiliated with numerous mechanical collecting societies around the world, and can collect royalties on behalf of AMCOS members.

No. We have reciprocal agreements with societies in most territories around the world. If your music is performed publicly or communicated in a foreign territory, the society in that country or territory will collect those royalties and forward them to us to pay our members. The royalties collected and distributed will depend on the distribution practices and procedures of the society in that territory.

If your works have been performed live or broadcast internationally, please email us at [email protected], so we can follow up your claim with the relevant international society.